Cruise Gratuities and Tipping: Which Lines Include Tips in the Fare?
Written by
Ati Jain
Published
26 June 2026
Written by
Ati Jain
Published
26 June 2026
Most of the luxury small-ship and river lines we book include gratuities in the fare, so there is nothing to tip onboard. Seabourn, Silversea, Scenic, Emerald, Uniworld, Ponant, Explora Journeys, Ritz-Carlton, Paul Gauguin, Regent, and Oceania all fold tips into the price. Viking is the main line we book that still charges a daily amount, around $20 per person.
On nearly every luxury small-ship and river line we book, yes. The fare you pay covers crew gratuities, so there is no daily charge added to your bill and no envelope to leave at the end. Seabourn states it plainly in its FAQ: gratuities are neither required nor expected. The same model holds across the luxury tier.
This is one of the real differences between a luxury small ship and a mainstream megaship. The all-inclusive lines treat service as part of the price you already agreed to, not as a separate line item revealed later. For a fuller view of what those fares fold in, see our guide to what is included on all-inclusive small-ship cruises.
The table below lists the lines we book and whether gratuities sit inside the fare or get charged separately. Almost all of the luxury and river lines include them. Viking is the clear outlier among our inventory, with an automatic daily service charge, and AmaWaterways leaves tips to your discretion at the end of the voyage.
One caveat applies even on the included lines. Spa and salon treatments usually carry a discretionary gratuity. When you take a shore excursion run by an independent local operator, the guide and driver are not part of the ship's no-tipping policy. A small cash thank-you for them is customary, though never required.
When a line charges gratuities, the amount is set per person per day and applies to each guest in the cabin. Among the lines we book, Viking is the one to plan for. Its automatic daily service charge runs about $20 per person per day on voyages departing in 2026, with an added 15% on bar and beverage purchases. The charge is described as discretionary but posts automatically unless you ask to adjust it.
The mainstream ocean lines, which we do not book, sit in a similar or higher band. To give you a sense of scale, their published 2026 rates run from $16 to $25 per person per day depending on the line and cabin grade. Over a week for two people, that can add a few hundred dollars on top of the fare you saw advertised.
All-inclusive pricing removes the tipping question by settling it before you sail. When gratuities are in the fare, there is no running calculation onboard and no awkward math at the end of the week. The price you compared against another line is much closer to your true cost, because service is already paid.
That clarity matters most when you are comparing lines. A megaship fare that looks lower can close most of its gap once you add daily gratuities, drinks, and Wi-Fi. The luxury lines we book bundle those in, so the headline number behaves itself. Our guide to all-inclusive river cruise pricing walks through how those bundles compare river by river.
“When gratuities are in the fare, the price you compared against another line is much closer to your true cost.”
Onboard, no. You are not expected to tip the crew on the lines that include gratuities, and most ask you not to single out individuals. If a crew member goes well beyond, Seabourn points guests toward a crew welfare fund and Paul Gauguin toward a crew appreciation fund, rather than cash.
Off the ship, two situations still call for a little cash. Spa and salon staff are usually tipped at your discretion, since treatments fall outside the included service. Local guides and drivers on independent shore excursions also appreciate a small thank-you. On the river lines, Uniworld and Emerald even fold those tour-staff tips in, so check the inclusions for your specific voyage.
Each fare is a starting per-person price, and live dates sit on the itinerary page. Each of these sails on a line that includes gratuities in the fare, so the price you see is close to your all-in cost.
A sample of bookable sailings on lines whose fares fold in gratuities. Each fare is a starting per-person price, and live dates sit on the itinerary page.
We book Seabourn, Silversea, Scenic, Emerald, Uniworld, Ponant, Explora Journeys, Paul Gauguin, Viking, and the other lines covered here. We match you to the one that fits how you want to travel. You pay the same fare you would booking direct, plus the preferred-partner perks our relationships bring. Our commission comes from the operator, so our help costs you nothing beyond the fare.
Because so many of these lines include gratuities, we model the true all-in cost with you before you book, not just the lead-in price. Repeat travelers also earn through the Small Ship Travel Loyalty Program, which pays 2% to 5% back per booking across every line we sell, plus member perks. New members receive a $250 sign-up credit. Reach us at 1-888-318-3110.
Yes. Seabourn includes gratuities in the cruise fare, and its FAQ states that tipping is neither required nor expected. There is no daily service charge added to your account onboard. Spa treatments carry a discretionary tip, and if you want to recognize the crew beyond that, Seabourn directs you to its crew welfare fund rather than cash.
Yes. Viking applies an automatic daily service charge on both its ocean and river voyages, about $20 per person per day on 2026 sailings. Bar and beverage purchases carry an added 15%. Viking describes the charge as discretionary, but it posts to your account automatically unless you ask guest services to adjust it during the voyage.
On most luxury river lines we book, gratuities are already in the fare, so there is nothing to tip the crew. Uniworld and Emerald even include tour-staff tips on many itineraries. AmaWaterways is the exception: tips are not included, and you pay them at the end of the voyage. The guideline runs roughly €12 per person per day for crew and €3 for the cruise manager.
On the luxury lines we book, budget nothing for onboard gratuities, since they are in the fare. Keep some cash for spa staff and for local guides on independent shore excursions. If you sail Viking, plan for about $20 per person per day. On mainstream megaships, which we do not book, daily charges run $16 to $25 per person.
Including gratuities matches the all-inclusive model these lines are built around. The fare already covers suites, dining, drinks, and often Wi-Fi, so adding service charges later would undercut the promise. It also gives you a cleaner number to compare against other lines. The price you see is close to your true cost rather than a starting figure that grows onboard.
Usually yes. The ship's no-tipping policy covers the crew, but independent local guides and drivers who run shore excursions are not part of it. A small cash thank-you is customary and appreciated, though never required. On Uniworld and some Emerald river itineraries, tour-staff tips are folded into the fare, so check the inclusions for your specific voyage first.
Planning your next small-ship trip?
The articles cover the basics. Tell us about your trip and a specialist will say which ship and departure fit your dates and budget. It's free, with no obligation.
CEO
Ati Jain is the founder of Small Ship Travel. He has worked in travel for over thirty years, with a focus on river cruises and small-ship expeditions. He writes for the site about the parts of the industry he knows from direct experience.
consultation
Reach out to our travel concierges today to create your perfect journey.